Teaching Chess in Primary Schools is like no other summer course as it is extremely hands-on and teacher-centred.

Chess is a growing pastime in Irish primary schools with over 100 schools now joined the Ficheall.ie network of teachers promoting chess in primary schools. It is an excellent hobby for students (and teachers) for rainy day break times and promotes a variety of social, cognitive and mental-fitness skills such as respect, forward planning, problem solving, decision making, accepting defeat, understanding resilience and developing a growth mind-set when exploring a new skill.

Teachers will have the opportunity to learn the new skill of chess by playing mini chess games against other novice teachers. The course will teach all participants how to

play chess (from zero prior knowledge) and the best methods of teaching primary school children as young as first class the rules using a fun, games-based approach

utilise chess as an additional resource in teaching both literacy and numeracy in the mainstream and special education classroom

organise a school chess club, school chess team and in-school chess competitions

digital teaching resources will be provided to all participants

This summer course has run in Kildare, Navan and Cork since 2016 and always receives the highest standard of feedback. It attracts both principals and experienced teachers looking for something new and easy to implement in their schools with many claiming it to be "the best summer course I've ever completed". Other testimonials from previous chess summer course participants include:

“Game of chess broken down into simplified steps.”

“It is a super resource for teaching problem solving and enhancing critical thinking.”

“I was surprised how much fun it was and I had never played chess before!”

“Chess demystified!”

“Part of school self-evaluation steps for problem solving”

“The skills and strategies taught on this course will easily transcend from the challenges of the game of chess to the classroom and the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy.”